Deus Ex HD texture update enables more humane resolution, in time for Human Revolution

by Christopher Grant on Aug 8th 2011 1:30PM

With the release of Deus Ex: Human Revolution just two weeks away, it's a perfect time to remind our younger readers that while it may be developer Eidos Montreal's debut project, it's not the first game in the series. That distinction belongs to 2000's Deus Ex, developed by Ion Storm Austin under the watchful eye(s) of Warren Spector (think: Epic Mickey) and Harvey Smith (think: the newly unveiled Dishonored). If you've never played it, Deus Ex: New Vision may not make that process easier, but it will make it more palatable.

New Vision is a mod four years in the making, which updates Deus Ex's aging visuals (they weren't much to look at in 2000!) "with around 75% of the world textures remastered at high definition." We've got some screens in the gallery below, and a year-old video of the beta above. If you're interested, grab the mod from Mod DB at the Source link below.

Deus Ex: New Vision (mod)

Source: Mod DB

Tags: Deus-Ex, deus-ex-human-revolution, Ion-Storm-Austin, mods, pc

Reader Comments (35)

Jesus, I remember playing this as a kid and thinking how amazing the graphics were, now they look like absolute shite WITH juiced up visuals.

@jamiepgs

Same here, it's amazing what nostalgia glasses can do. The dated graphics don't detract from the experience. Deus Ex is still in my top 10 action RPG's.

There ARE some games that still hold up graphically. I popped in Wind Waker a few weeks ago and was completely amazed at just how well it held up. In fact I dare say it's still one of the best cel-shaded games in existence.

@NaeemTHM

Those kind of games don't age fast because they use a lot artistic flavors in their graphical designs.

Games that are released with pure technical graphics, however age pretty quickly. A few of them are exceptions.

@jamiepgs
I played it recently. I think it still looks okay.

@xiLeShadow

"Those kind of games don't age fast because they use a lot artistic flavors in their graphical designs."

Very true.

@NaeemTHM
I remember how everyone panned Wind Waker graphics before seeing it in motion (which, then, shut up pretty much everyone). The Cel-Shading technique in WW really makes it look like a wicked Disney cartoon (in the best possible meaning of this sentence) and I suppose it's one of the few games that its graphics will stand the test of time for a very long time.

@TheShaper

I was going to say exactly that but I didn't want to get too off topic.

BUT! Since you mentioned it, yeah looking back it's hilarious how wrong everyone was about Wind Waker. People complained they were "kiddifying" Zelda...meanwhile it turned out to be perhaps the best in the series.

Now when someone says "They're ruining 'X'!!" I just say "hey remember Wind Waker?". I think we all learned that day that you should wait for a games release before you pass judgement.

@jamiepgs

I don't know, the game is incredible but I don't think the graphics were ever its strong suit.

@WiredKnight Then what was it's strong suit?

Sailing?

Triforce Quest?

The dungeons?

@jamiepgs Cel-shading almost always ages well, XIII still looks better than some games today

@xiLeShadow

Agreed.

It's amazing how many SNES games look worlds better than some of the early PS1 3D stuff.

http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv/

Currently using that one myself for my 100th playthrough... also comes with a nice way to scale the ui ! choices ftw!

"....world textures remastered at high definition"
for FREE!!!

Consoles should have mod support. I wouldn't have to buy $40 Remasters of a game I already bought.

Anyways, of to Deus Ex.

Dues Ex is a favorite of mine and it was revolutionary but the thing that needs to be updated more than the graphics is the story. It's a hodgepodge of conspiracy theories that comes across now as a Nicolas Cage National Treasure movie. This stuff doesn't work anymore even if it was cool at the time. Those Conduit guys should have realized that when they stole from Dues Ex for the story.

@FriedConsole I was always under the impression that the hodgepodgeness was the point, that it was a postmodern, almost Pynchon-esque love letter to conspiracy theories.

@Once known as Shadsy

...or the writers of Deus Ex just watched too much X-files.

"...they weren't much to look at in 2000!"

I don't remember the graphics seeming bad in the year 2000. But then, I wasn't 12 years old then, like the writer of this article seemingly was.

Deus Ex is a great game. Re-watched that trailer with more interest than 95% of the new games coming out.

I wonder if they retextured the "I was walking here!" man

I literally JUST finished the game for the first time last night. (Best game ever, ferserious.)

This would have made my play time much prettier. Still, for 2000, the game looked pretty damn good.

*pours 40 for my GeForce 2*

Good times, yo.

@CaptainProtonX I remember wanting to play this game and lucking out that I happened to own a 3dfx card, the only card that could render the graphics at a decent framerate :)

I loved this game back in the day, but I've been afraid to go back and try it again, lest it taints my nostalgic memories. It was revolutionary at the time, but so many of things that made it special back then are much more common now. That amount of freedom in a FPS was incredible.

@SisypheanLife
I dunno, the freedom of how to approach your objectives is STILL largely unmatched, even in 2011. How there isn't a set "do it action" path and "do it stealth" path, but a single, large level with tons of intertwining paths, some more accessible than others depending on your skill set - things like that don't come around very often in this era.

Human Revolution looks to be an exception, but considering Deus Ex was its ancestor, if it weren't an exception, there would be riots in the streets. Imagine the Paris shots from the intro, if you will.

@SisypheanLife

I played this game for the first time about a month ago, and while I would definitely praise it for everything it did, there are definitely aspects of it that didn't age well.

The freedom of how to complete levels was easily it's biggest strength, and even by today's terms it's still largely unmatched. But there were lots of little things that bothered me about the game (such as the shooting, and the menus).

Keep it in your memory the way it was all those years ago. I wish I had played it back then, so that I could really appreciate what it did for the industry.

Oh and for anybody that still hasn't played it... Definitely do, there are some terrific parts in that game, just don't expect it to be the best game ever if you've never played it before, because you might be a little disappointed.

@SisypheanLife

i was afraid of the same thing as this game is still 11 years later still in my top 5 all time. but when i finally played it again i actually saved Paul Denton and was surprised. And after saving he will pop up again so the story does change a little. which was great..

come on joystiq... this patch came out AGES ago!

@Aron

The patch wasn't complete until yesterday. There have been works-in-progress available for quite some time, but this is the final product.

@Mr Esc is the namesarcasm is my

Love that part, Jock being so casual about it too. Just finished Deus Ex for like the 20th time. I just love that game; can't wait for human revolution.

I bought Deus Ex on Steam a while back and I still haven't got past the second level. It's fun, but maybe I'm just missing something by not having played it when it first came out. The nostalgia factor can make certain games a lot better. I still want to finish it since I'm pretty excited for Human Revolution.

@Ospov

Definitely do. I played it for the first time recently, and while I didn't have the nostalgia to carry it, there are definitely parts of that game that are awesome.

And it does get better as well, I found the beginning a little odd as well.

@liquidsoap89

That's good to know. I mean I understand why I'm doing this and that so far, but the controls and everything are just really dated and it's hard for me to feel like I'm playing the game well lol I'm glad to hear it gets better though. I'll probably try to pick it back up this weekend or so.

Dammit, when I read the headline I thought it was going to be an XBLA/PSN version of Deus Ex.

@advancedcaveman

I had never even dared to consider such a possibility. Dammit, now I'm as disappointed as you are.

Ooh. I played Deus Ex years ago, but didn't finish it, and then bought it on Steam not too long ago. I should keep this in mind if I ever get around to taking another shot at it.

Playing it for the first time right now, with this mod installed (plus Shifter). I'm in Hong Kong, just started the Versalife part (hope I'm not spoiling anything there).

Great game. Only starts to hook you a couple hours in, so for anyone thinking it's too old to enjoy anymore: stick with it.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex HD texture update enables more humane resolution, in time for Human Revolution

Deus Ex: New Vision (mod)

Reader Comments (35)

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:35PM jamiepgs said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:42PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:45PM xiLeShadow said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:53PM Cleric said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:57PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:00PM TheShaper said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:16PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 6:03PM WiredKnight said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 7:22PM Vuvuzelas said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 10:29PM Eight Hundred said

Posted: Aug 9th 2011 2:15AM Esposch said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:35PM Shiz said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:37PM xiLeShadow said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:37PM FriedConsole said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 1:56PM Once known as Shadsy said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:07PM FriedConsole said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:08PM i77ogical said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:11PM Accessgranted said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:25PM Mach2 said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:28PM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 4:35PM ly000001 said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:33PM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 7:51PM Shadow Hog said

Posted: Aug 9th 2011 2:29AM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2011 4:59AM blessedswine said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:59PM Aron said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 3:32PM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 3:56PM SilentSoul said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 4:55PM Ospov said

Posted: Aug 9th 2011 2:30AM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 9th 2011 2:51AM Ospov said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 9:29PM advancedcaveman said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 10:05PM i77ogical said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 10:03PM Boring K said

Posted: Aug 9th 2011 12:38AM Haikiba said

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